Forever Yours
by Hogwartsowls
Summary: Harry is nervous about going to Ginny's 17th birthday party at the Burrow. He has a secret burning a hole in his pocket and is worried revealing it could send his and Ginny's relationship up in flames.


**Author's Note: So this just popped into my head and I had to write it down. It's AU. Fred is alive but he's one of my favourite characters so I like him better that way.**

**Disclaimer: All characters, plots and anything relating to the Harry Potter franchise belongs the wonderfully talented J.K. Rowling. I'm just borrowing it.**

**Forever Yours**

My hands were sweating, my knees were weak and my heart was hammering in my chest. I had never been so scared in my whole life. Defeating Voldemort felt like child's play compared to this. I sat down on the sofa in 12 Grimmauld Place and wiped my hands on my dress pants. Not a smart idea. The ticking of the clock rang out like a warning bell, signaling each second closer. I closed my eyes and the ticking seamed to slow, turning mere seconds into hours. I was scared, but I knew I shouldn't be.

What could possibly go wrong? _She could decline. _My head always doubted my heart ever since I bought that blasted ring. _She could laugh at you and tell you she didn't love you_ my head stated. _Ginny would never do something like that! She loves you, you idiot! You're going to give her that ring and she's going to cry with joy because she will finally be yours forever!_ My heart always knew what to say to make my doubts disappear. Taking a shaky breath, I got off the couch and went to the front hall where the flowers, chocolate and black velvet ring box were sitting on the table.

Disapperating to the Burrow had never been this hard before. It was like my second home and I was always welcome there. But this wasn't just some family dinner Mrs. Weasley was hosting because she felt like it. This was Ginny's 17th birthday and her present from me was an engagement ring. An engagement ring that I hadn't told anyone about. The shop keeper didn't even know it was me who was buying it in the first place. Polyjuice potion was a lifesaver when you were a famous wizard.

Thinking back, I probably should have asked Arthur for permission first. Not that I doubted that he would let me marry his only daughter, it just seemed like something that needed to be done. I really wasn't sure how everyone would react to be honest. Molly would probably be over the moon and Arthur would probably be happy but would give me a stern warning. I would most likely get death threats from her brothers and Hermione would give us both big hugs before going to tell Ron he was being ridiculous for thinking that I would hurt Ginny. It would be a huge ball of mixed emotions. Hopefully most would be good ones.

The front gate was open and light flooded from the kitchen windows. Fairy lights that were probably real fairies twinkled from around the tree trunks in the back yard. A table of food was set up in the middle of the lawn and a table piled high with brightly wrapped gifts sat along the house. I took a deep breath and made my way through the gate and through the crowd to find Ginny. It took a minute to spot her amongst the sea of short red hair.

"Harry!" She squealed when she saw me making my way over to her. She excused herself from the conversation she had been having with Ron and Hermione and came to give me a hug.

"Happy Birthday Gin," I replied to her hug. I hoped that she didn't feel the ring box in my pocket.

When she broke away she took in the large bouquet of red roses and the box of her favorite Honeydukes chocolate. "Oh, Harry! They're beautiful! I love them!"

"Hopefully not more than you love me."

"I could never love anything more than you," she laughed and gave me a kiss. "Come inside and we'll put these into some water." She grabbed my hand and led me towards the house.

"Harry!" Identical shouts echoed off the house. "How are you? Haven't seen you around for a while?"

I turned and smiled at Fred and George. "I'm fine thanks. Been busy I guess. How are you two doing? Business good as usual?"

"Fabulous actually," Fred grinned. "Never been better! Our Harry Potter action figures are selling out faster than we can make them!" George added.

I rolled my eyes. "That's wonderful guys. I would love to stay and chat but Ginny and I have to find some water for these flowers."

"Well, we hope..."

"That you two..."  
"Have some fun..."

"Together," the twins coursed before making their way over to the refreshments set out on the table.

Once inside the Burrow's kitchen, Ginny summoned a crystal vase from the cabinet and began filling it with water. I stood with my back resting against a kitchen chair and watched her. Just looking at her made my heart pound harder in my chest. Her long hair falling like a fiery waterfall over her shoulders, her delicate figure, her beautiful brown eyes and her perfect smile. She turned around and caught me staring at her.

"Like what you see?" she asked, twirling around. Her sunflower yellow sundress floated out around her in a perfect circle.

"Don't I always?" I asked as I went up to her and placed my hands on her hips.

"I hope so because I know I always do," she whispered and pressed her lips to mine in a chaste kiss.

We stood like that for what seemed like forever. I still had my hands on her hips and her hands were pressing on my chest. We didn't say anything out loud but we didn't need too. It was easy enough to have a conversation with our eyes these days. It was something that we did that always seemed perfect and completely natural to us. No one else seemed to understand it but it didn't matter to us. Each other was all that mattered.

"I love you Harry," Ginny whispered after a minute.

"I love you too Ginny," I whispered back.

"Always have..."

"Always will..."

"Well, would you look at that Forge." Ginny and I whipped around to find Fred and George leaning against the door frame casually. They laughed at our startled expressions before continuing their strange conversation with each other.

"They sound just like us Gred."

"Finishing each other's sentences."

"They might just give us a run for our Galleons someday."

"But they will..."

"Never be as perfect..."

"As Gred...

"And Forge...

"Weasley," the twins finished together.

Ginny took my hand in hers. "How long have you two been standing there?" she demanded.

"Long enough," the twins replied.

Ginny, with me in tow, pushed through her brothers and out into the garden. "I'm going to tell Mum that you've been spying on Harry and me again," she called over her shoulder.

There was a scramble of feet behind us and soon enough each of us had a twin hanging off our shoulders.

"Come on Ginny, don't be a tattle."

"It's never pretty."

Ginny snorted and turned to face Fred who was walking beside her. "Fine I won't tell but if you do it again, Mum will find out from an anonymous source that Katie and Angelina are sharing your bedrooms with you every night." She announced with a coy smile before dragging me away from her brothers.

I laughed at the twin's panicked expressions and Ginny laughed with me. Just another thing that I loved so much about her. She laced her fingers with mine and leaned against me as we made our way over the food table. Molly spotted us and came over to greet us.

"Harry, I'm so glad you could make it tonight!" Molly gushed as she enveloped me in one of her famous bear hugs. I put my arms around her and hugged her back. It was always how I had imagined a hug from my mother would feel like. But in actuality, Molly really was just like my mother and I never complained.

"I wouldn't miss this for the world Molly," I said as I pulled away. My arm immediately went around Ginny's waist, pulling her closer. Molly smiled fondly at us. Even thought I wasn't an official member of the family, yet, I was always treated as such.

"Well, now that everyone is here, why don't we start dinner?" Molly smiled at Ginny's agreement before calling out to the rest of the guests.

Once everyone was seated and Mr. Weasley made the birthday toast to Ginny, the food appeared on the table and the Weasley appetites became present. Bill was a bit more relaxed for Fleur's sake and Percy ate with a Percy-like manner as always. Charlie, Fred, George and Ron however, overstuffed their plates and overstuffed their mouth as they tried to sample a bit of everything at once. Hermione was scolding Ron for eating too much and Mrs. Weasley was scolding Hermione for not eating enough. It was a typical Weasley dinner if you looked at it right. It was anything but in my opinion. I took a deep breath and started my plan to propose.

Using the stealth I had been developing in Auror training and my improved wandless magic, the diamond and ruby incrusted ring appeared on Ginny's right hand. Her hand had been under the table at the moment so there were no questions as to how and why a ring was materializing on Ginny's finger. I sighed inwardly and fingered the gold necklace in my other pocket. Once Ginny accepted, the necklace would be her official birthday present. The chatter at the table continued on and I realised I was in need of someone to take notice to the jewels on Ginny's hand to give me my opportunity.

I was distracted all though dinner. I kept seeing flashes of Ginny's ring but no one else seemed to notice. I tried to act like nothing was wrong but all I really wanted to do now was take Ginny's hand, shove the ring in her face and propose right then and there. I was just about to resort to that when Ron became my savior.

"What's that on your finger Ginny?"

Ginny looked down in confusion, studying her hands. I heard her gasp when she saw the ring on her finger. George, who was sitting on her other side, let out a whistle.

"I don't know where she got it mate but that is some ring."

Suddenly the whole table was more interested in figuring out where the ring came from than eating. I just smiled and continued eating my sweet potatoes.

"If it was from anyone here it would either be George and I or Harry. No one else has that kind of money lying around." Fred said and he took Ginny's hand and looked at the ring. Suddenly he let her hand drop and he slapped his forehead. "It was Harry. He got you the ring Gin."

All eyes fell on me and I smiled. "Caught me," I stated simply as I took the ring off Ginny's finger. I flipped it over and let her read the inscription on the bottom.

"_Forever Yours, Harry James Potter_," Ginny read out loud.

I took her hands and stood up, the ring still in my hand. Ginny stood up with me and faced me.

"You know I love you more than anything right?" I asked.

"Of course I know that Harry."

"And you know I would do anything to keep you safe and happy?"

"Yes I know that Harry. What are you –,"

Ginny along with the whole table gasped as I got down on one knee in the grass. Ginny's hand reached up and covered her mouth and for the third time in my life I saw her cry.

"Ginny you are my whole world. I love you with every inch of my being and I would go to the ends of the earth to make you happy. What I'm trying to say is; Ginny, will you marry me?"

The table was dead silent. Mrs. Weasley had tears in her eyes as did Hermione and Fleur. Ron, Fred, George, Percy, Charlie, Bill and Arthur looked flustered. They weren't mad. They looked like they knew this would happen sooner than later. My eyes were locked with Ginny's, my gaze never wavering. She wasn't saying anything and a horrid feeling was creeping up in the pit of my stomach. And then, the silence was broken by the most wonderful sound in the world.

"Yes."

The whole table exploded into cheers as I stood up and placed the ring on Ginny's ring finger. Before I had time to look up, her arms were around my neck and her lips were pressing against mine. My arms, in return, went immediately around her waist and I twirled her around. Her legs locked around my hips and her hands moved from my hair to my face. When we pulled away, we were slightly breathless but smiling like fools. Slowly she dropped her legs from around me and I set her delicately on the ground again.

"I love you so much Ginny. You've just made me the happiest man in the world."

"The feeling is mutual Harry. Forever and always," Ginny replied.

And then her lips were on mine once more.

**So I'm thinking of posting a follow-up story for this. I've been getting lots of very nice reviews. In your review, tell me if you would be interested in reading something related to this. I love hearing your feedback.**

**~nlei**


End file.
